Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



2 Sheets--Sheet1. F.GUEURY.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arms.

@No.134,200. PatentedDec.24, 1872.

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FRANQOIS GUEURY, or PARIS, Felines, ASSIGNOR on ONEQHALF His- RIGHT TO ERNEST DUBOIS, OF SAME PLACE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No; 134,200., dated December 24,1872.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANgoIs GUEURY, of, Paris, France, have invented an Improvement, inBreech-Loadin g Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates more especially to that class of breech-loading fire-arms in which the breech is closed by a bolt which has a sliding movement in the line of the barrel for opening and closing the breech, and a movement about its axis for the purpose of looking or unlocking it. The invention consists in the provision of an arched shield or cover which is susceptible of being turned laterally by the axial movement of the breech-bolt for uncovering the breech-receiver, in which position it is retained when the breech-bolt is drawn back, and again returned to its normal position bya reverse movement of the bolt when the breech is being closed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of a fire-arm possessing my improvements. Fig. 2 illustrates a transverse section of the breech-receiver, representing the breech-chamber when open. Fig. 3 is a similar view withthe arched shield in a position for closing the breech. Fig. 4 represents a plan or top view; and Fig. 5 a horizon tal section through the axis of the arm, the breech-bolt and hammer being removed.

The barrel a is screwed into the forward end of the breech-receiver b, which is continuous with the bore of the former, and is secured to the stock in any suitable manner. A longitudinal cylindrical opening is formed in the breech-receiver for the reception and movement of the sliding breech-bolt t; and the upper side of the breech-receiver is slotted to permit the passage of the ordinary leverhandle for operating the same. The front portion of said slot is enlarged laterally for permitting the axial movement of the breech-bolt to lock or unlock the same, as is usual in arms of this description. The rear external portion of the breech-receiver is beveled or inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, to enable rain-water to run off and said part is also provided with a slot, 0, for the reception of the'lock mechanism. d rep resents a breech-shield, formed of an arched or curved plate of metal, and designed for protecting the breech-chamber and sliding bolt fastening devices. The firing-pin W,*

from the injurious efi'ects of rain and dust, which would obstruct the efiective operation thereof. Said shield or plate is fitted in grooves 6 formed in the ends of the breech-receiver, and is carried or turned laterally by the axial movement of the breech-bolt through the me dium of the projecting stud h, which enters a notched lateral extension, f, of the shield. In the forward and backward movement of the breech-bolt the shield is maintained in a stationary position; but when the bolt is turned for looking or unlocking the same the projectin g stud enters or engages with the shield, thus causing the latter to be turned withthe former. The grooves e c guide and limitthe movement of the shield in either direction, and serve to retain the same in position without other passing through acentral bore in the breech-bolt, is provided with a shoulder for limiting its movement, and with a surrounding spiral spring for retracting the same after the firing operation. The above parts are retained within the bolt by means of a hollow screw or tap, j, which is applied to the end of the same, and provided with a milled head to enable the'same to be unscrewed by hand for removing pin and spring, The forward sliding movement of the breech-bolt is arrested by the base of the barrel and the backward movement by means of a screw, 0, which passes through the breechreceiver and enters a longitudinal groove, 1), in the breech-bolt. A groove is formed at right angles to the longitudinal groove at its rear end for the reception of the stop-screw 0 when the bolt is rotated. By turning said screw a certain distance it is withdrawn from the groove in the breech-bolt, thus permitting the ready removal of the same for the purpose of cleaning or inspection. A suitable pin, inserted into the breech-receiver perpendicular to the screw 0, serves as a medium for preventing the removal of the same incase it should, by inadvertence, be completely unscrewed. A hooked spring, K, is secured'to the breech-bolt near its front end, which shall serve to grasp the cartridge when inserted into the breech-opening and convey the same into the barrel by the forward sliding movement of the breech-bolt. In order to prevent the springhook from failing to grasp the exhausted cartridge-shell when the same is to be extracted from the barrel by the backward movement of the breech-bolt, I form on the inner periphery of the breech-receiver a groove, 1 2, Figs. 1 and 5, for the purpose specified.

When the sliding bolt is in the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, or at the moment the extraction takes place, the cartridge drawer or extractor K is in the position 3, Fig. 4, the hook portion of the same being at. the upper end of the groove and embracing the flange of the cartridge-shell. If the breech-bolt is now withdrawn the exhausted shell is extracted from the barrel and conveyed by the hook opposite the proj ectinghead m of a spring-tongue, l, the tension of which shall serve to eject the shell in a lateral direction from the breechchamber. Said spring-tongue l is secured to the external side wall of the breech-receiver, and its head projects into the breech-chamber through a slot, n, and enters a longitudinal groove formed in the sliding bolt. When the bolt is in a locked position the spring is pressed outward by the groove, and as soon as the bolt is drawn completely back the head of the spring is released from the groove in the bolt, when the elasticity of the former causes the same to be projected inward for ejecting the shell from the breech-chamber, as above stated. In the axial movement of the breech-bolt the extractor-hook applied to the latter is always maintained in contact with the flange of the cartridge by permitting the hook to move in the groove in the front of the breech-receiver, said groove enabling also the passage of the hook over and in rear of the flange when the bolt is drawn forward. A safety springbolt, q, is inserted into a recess in the base of the lever-handle, which enters a socket in the breech-receiver when the bolt is closed for securing the same in position.

The lock mechanism is so constructed that the backward movement of the breech-bolt causes the hammer to be brought automatic.- ally to a position of full-cock, ready for action upon the firing-pin by simply pulling the trigger. The tumbler-cock r oscillates upon the fulcrum-pin s, and is provided with a crest, t,

which is so arranged in relation to the line of main and trigger springs to be readily attached and removed I insert their outer ends or heels under hooked screws or plates at attached to the under side of the breech-receiver or lookframe, and then secure them in position by means of pins or rivets 1).

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The arched shield or breech-chamber cover (1, when so constructed and arranged that the axial movement of the breech-bolt shall turn the same laterally while permitting the independent longitudinal movement of said bolt, as herein set forth.

Witnesses: FRANQOIS GUEURY.

EMILE DUHAN, ADOLPHE EUGENE GUION. 

